Numerical Study of Wind-Induced Currents in Enclosed Homogeneous Water Bodies

Authors: MÜSTEYDE B. KOÇYİĞİT, ÖNDER KOÇYİĞİT

Abstract: Results of various circulation scenarios for wind-induced currents both in rectangular basins of constant depth and varying topography and in a small lake with a complex bathymetry are presented. The importance of some of the physical factors affecting the circulation pattern due to wind forcing in enclosed shallow homogeneous water bodies and the prediction of how physical changes might alter the circulation pattern were investigated. A 3-dimensional semi-implicit finite difference code was developed. The non-hydrostatic pressure component and the conventional sigma coordinate system in the vertical direction were incorporated into the model to take into account the effect of the vertical acceleration component and the bathymetric changes considered to be relatively important physical parameters for the circulation pattern. It was shown that the numerical model developed was capable of simulating wind-induced circulation in shallow enclosed water bodies and that the effect of topography and wind stress on the circulation pattern was of primary importance while the non-hydrostatic pressure component did not have much effect.

Keywords: Wind-induced circulation, Non-hydrostatic pressure distribution, Shallow water, Sigma coordinate

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